Craig Cormick 07/08

Craig Cormick

Craig Cormick is an award-winning author and science journalist. Craig first became interested in Antarctica while working as a journalist for the Department of Science, in the mid-1980s, producing information on Australia's Antarctic Division. He travelled to Antarctica as an Arts Fellow in the 2007/08 season.

Craig has visited the Arctic, living for a year in both Finland and Iceland, has flown over Antarctica, and is intrigued by the 'polar opposites'.

Craig's project for the fellowship involved four discrete yet overlapping activities that deal with human interaction with the environment and Antarctic society.

• Writing workshops for expeditioners
• Nonfiction articles placed in newspapers and magazines and on radio;
• A major fictional work exploring the interaction of expeditioners with societies and the environment
• An Antarctic related module on biodiscovery and biodiversity for secondary schools.

Antarctic impression

'I can't recall a period when I've been so inspired to work at such a pace – but in a sense travelling to Antarctica has been in my head for many years, and so when it came to writing about it I found that it was bursting to come out, and just needed that catalytic inspiration of experiencing the frozen continent first hand (albeit within thick gloves).

And I had so many experiences of my own to write about, whether seeing my first iceberg, climbing mountains up on the Antarctic plateau, flying in a helicopter over the Vestfold Hills, photographing penguins, seeing a spectacular Aurora Australis (the atmospheric one, not the ship), smelling elephant seals, exploring the different stations or discovering the mysteries of 'crap and wrap' field toilets.

I feel extraordinarily privileged, not just to have travelled to Antarctica, but to have met the people who make Australia's presence in Antarctica a reality. The quality of support we experienced as Arts Fellows was first rate and I hope that it is reflected in the first rate quality of work that we subsequently produce.' - Craig Cormick